Mixed anhydrides and their use as catalysts for the polymerisation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds



. Y La 'United States MIXED ANHYDRIDES AND THEIR USE AS CATA- LYSTS FOR THE POLYMERISATION F ETH- YLENICALLY UNSATURATED COMPOUNDS Gerald Scott, Manchester, England, assignor to Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, London, England, a corporation of Great Britain No Drawing. Filed Mar. 25, 1958, Ser. No. 723,645

Claims priority, application Great Britain Apr. 1, 1957 13 Claims. (Cl. 260-943) where R and R stand for alkyl, .cycloalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, aralkyl, allyl or aryl groups, which groups may be substituted or unsaturated. The groups vR and R may be substituted, for example, by halogens, alkoxy, cyano, or ester groups, or by radicals containing one or more further alkoxyformyl hyponitriteresidues, in which case the product is polymeric. In all cases, R and R may be the same or different.

The invention also includes a process for the produclion of the mixed anhydrides that comprises interacting at a temperature. below 0 C. hyponitrous acid or .a salt thereof with at least one .haloformic ester of the formula wherein R has the significance hereinbefore described,

preferably the chloroformic ester. Salts of hyponitrous acid that may be used include the silver, lead, thallium, copper, potassium or ammonium salts. The silver salt is generally preferred because it is readily prepared in a pure state and is highly reactive. When 'hyponitrous acid is used it may be convenient to generate it from an inorganic hyponitr'ite by means of a strong acid such as hydrogen chloride.

The reaction between the hyponitrous acid or salt and the halo'formic ester maybe performed in a solvent medium for the haloformic ester and the mixed anhydn'de; for example, ketones, 'ethers, esters, amides, nitriles, aliphatic nitro compounds, halogenated hydrocarbons, petroleum hydrocarbons or aromatic hydrocarbons may be used. It is essential that the solvent "should remain liquid at the .low temperature of reaction. The solvent may be gaseous at room temperature, but maybe liquid at the reaction temperature with or without the application of a moderate pressure. Suitable solvents include acetone, nitroethane, ethylene glycol diether ether, acetonitrile, diethyl oxalate, and dimethyl ether; acetone is a particularly satisfactory solvent. The reaction is considerably assisted by the prmence of a tertiary base, especially pyridine, or salts thereof. 'lihe tertiary base or its salt is best used in quantities of l,000 ppm. of the amount of haloformic ester when the latter is reacted directly with an inorganic hyponitrite, although larger quantities may be used if desired. "When the 'haloform'ic ester is reacted with hyponitrous acid, it is desirable to have present an amount of base chemically equivalent to the amount of reactive ha logen present in the system.

atent ice The rate of reaction may be controlled by external cooling of the reaction mixture or by allowing solvent to evaporate in a controlled manner, for example by manipulation of the pressure, usually to maintain a temperature of to 20 0, preferably below =40 C. and as low as l10 C. if desired.

The products of the reaction between hyponitrous acid or a metal hyponitrite and the haloformic esters are relatively unstable materials and products of different stability may be obtained according to the conditions under which the reaction is carried out. The less stable prodnets are preferred for use as catalysts, and their tonnation is favoured by the use of short reaction times which in turn are favoured by small particle size of starting materials and the presence of an excess of hyponitrous acid or salt.

When the reaction between a haloformic ester and a metallic hyponitrite is finished the metal halide co-product may readily be removed, for example by filtration. Much of the desired mixed anhydride may remain adsorbed .on the insoluble halide and it is desirable to wash the residue thoroughly. By this means the total yield of mixed anhydride may be more than doubled in certain cases. If a relatively non-polar medium is used in the reaction it may be desirable to elute the residue with a more polar solvent. The solution of the mixed anhydride so obtained is generally used as such in the polymerisation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds; however, the mixed an hydiide may be. isolated from the solution, for example by evaporation of the solvent at low temperature .or by crystallisation at low temperature. The pure mixed auhyd-rides may he dangerously unstable and it is .iOr this reason that their isolation is usually avoided.

Examples of the inbred anhydrides of this inven on are the mixed anhydrides of hvponitrous aci and methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, isopropoxy, n-blitoxy, sec-bntoxy, y. amyloxv, vlcxy. ben ylcxy, syelohe au y, tetrahydrofurfuranoxy, 3.5.5 trimethylhexanoxy, Z-ethylhexanoxy, p'tolyloxy, .o-chlorophenyloxy, l-carbethoxypropan-l-oxy, e-methoxyethoxy and e-chlor hoxy f rmic acids. 3 The mhred anhydrideswhieh are qatalyti ally ct decompose at apPreeia-blerates with evolution of gas at temperatures as low as ---40? Pu re catalytically :active mixed anhydrides yield appr mat v 5 C92 and 50% N in the gaseous decomposition products. Small amounts ofnituous oxide are often found also and the amounts may be considerable When impure silver hyponitrite or peroxydized Solvents have been u ed in the preparation. Products which yield much nitrous oxide 211616.85 desirable as catalysts.

The mixed anhydrides are valuable catalysts for the polymerisation and ,copolymerisation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds, including dienes; this use of the mixed anhydrides is a further feature of our invention. The mixed anhydrides are particularly useful for the polymerisation of ethylene to give solid polymers ;at temperatures as low .as 40 .C. and pressures above atmospheres, preferably hetween 1,000 and 3,000 atmos- .pheres, and :to give high rates of polymerisation at room temperature. If provision is made for the control of fast reactions and removal of large quantities of heat as in a continuous process, very high rates of polymerisation may he obtained a temperatures as high as 18 10. The pre sure rpretelred epends t some extent on t desired temperature of operation and is chosen so that the gas density always exceeds 021 gm./cc. The use of the mixed ainhydnide at low temperatures is .especialtyvaluable because branching of the polymer chains decreases with decreasing poiymerisation temperatures, and the more linear polymers obtained at ,low temperatures are stiffer and o hig er m lti g point and density tha these pro- 60 C. in an azotometer.

3 ducted at high temperatures. Low temperature processes are capable of giving polymers of density exceeding 0.95 if desired. The melt viscosity and molecular weight of the polymers may be modified to any desired level for the purposes of fabrication or strength by choice of reaction pressure and by the addition to the polymerisation reaction vessel of chain-transfer agents such as hydrogen, carbon tetrachloride or other chlorinated hydrocarbons, lower alkanes or cycloalkanes, ethers and esters. Inert diluents may also be present.

Other ethylenicallyunsaturated compounds that may advantageously be polymerised and copolymerised among themselves or with ethylene by general methods described in the prior art or used hitherto, but with the use of the mixed anhydrides. of this invention as catalysts, include, for example: styrene, methyl methacrylate, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, isoprene, 'butadiene, acrylonitrile, fluoroethylenes, propylene, N-vinylphthalimide, methacrylamide, vinylidene chloride, chloroprene, fluoroprene, N- vinylcarbazole, N-vinyl pyrollidone, acenaphthene, maleic anhydride, indene, chlorinated styrenes and diallyl fumarate. The polymerisation of these monomers may be carried out at normal or elevated or reduced pressures or temperatures and in the presence or absence of inert solvents or other .diluents such as water or gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons. In general, the only change introduced by the use of the new catalysts in the polymerisation proc 'esses of theprior art is that for a given polymerisation temperature the rate of polymerisation is surprisingly increased. Correspondingly, the polymerisation temperaturerequired for a given rate of polymerisation is surprisingly lowered. For example, for a given rate of reaction the use of the mixed anhydrides disclosed in this invention permits the use of temperatures approximately 110 C. lower than would be possible if lauroyl peroxide were used as catalyst. This change is very valuable since it affords possibilities of more economical working or the production of modified polymeric forms consequent upon the use of lower polymerisation temperatures.

The invention is'illustrated but not limited by the following examples, in which parts and percentages are by 'weight. In theprocesses of Examples 1 to 30 the yield of the mixed anhydrides in solution is determined by the following method:

IO'parts of the solution suitably diluted if necessary, for example with 50 parts of toluene, are heated from The yield of the mixed anhydride in solution is calculated from the total volume of nitrogen and nitrous oxide evolved, the percentage yield being based on the metal hyponitrite originally in the suspension.

Examples 1 to 30 relate to the production of the mixed anhydrides, generally in solution; Examples 30 to 37 relate to the use of the mixed anhydrides as catalysts for the polymerisation and copolymerisation of ethylene; and Examples 38 to 49 relate to their use as catalysts for the polymerisation of other monomers.

Example 1 Example 2 24 parts of ethyl chloroformate are added slowly to 27.6 parts of silver hyponitrite suspended in 200 parts of acetonitrile at 40" C. .The mixture is stirred at C. for 4 /2 hours and although the reaction is incomplete the suspension is filtered by themethod used in Examp fi 1. The yield of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite is 7% and all of this decomposes between 20 and +30 C.

Example 3 To a suspension of 27.6 parts of silver hyponitrite in 108 parts of acetone at 60 C. is added a solution of 7.3 parts of hydrogen chloride in 92 parts of acetone. To the solutionof hyponitrous acid thus formed at 60 C. are added 19 parts of ethyl chloroformate. The mixture is then stirred at 30 C. for two hours and the suspension is filtered by the method used in Example 1. Two-thirds of the gaseous decomposition products corresponding roughly to a 5% yield of .ethoxyformyl hyponitrite are released between 30 C. and 0 C.

Example 4 The process of Example 3 is' repeated except that 16 parts of pyridine are added after the addition of the ethyl'chloroformate, and the whole mixture is then stirred at 30 C. for only one hour before the suspension is filtered bythe method used in Example 1. The yield of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite is 35% and the product decomposes between -30 and +30 C.

Examples 5, 6 and Example 4 is repeated but with the differences indicated below: a

Example Ohloroform- Parts Temp., Time, Yield,

ate 0. hrs. percent methyl 15 30 2 22 isopropyl 25 -40 2 25 isobutyl 24 -40 '4 Example 8 138 parts of silver hyponitrite are stirred at 60" in 50 parts of acetone. parts of ethyl chloroformate in 50 parts of cooled acetone are added followed by a trace of pyridine hydrochloride (30 ppm), and the mixture is then stirred for l /z'hours, filtered and the'residue washed with parts of cooled acetone.

The yield of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite is 85%. The solution decomposes at a measurablerate at -'l0 C.;

the gases evolved include N2,44%, co 42%, and N 0 V Example 138 parts of silver hyponitrite and parts of cyclohexyl chloroformate are reacted at 40" C. according to the procedure of Example 8. I

I The yield of cyclohexoxyformyl hyponitrite is 58%. The solution decomposes at a measurable rate at 0' C.

and the gas-evolved contains 35% N 40% CO and 12% N 0. On cooling the solution to ,75 C., white crystals separate out. These are washed with ether and dried under vacuum at 50 C. Analysis of crystals for N is carried out by sealing a 2 mg. (approx) sample in a strong glass tube held on Drikold and then allowing the tube to warm to room temperature before weighing the sample, which meanwhile decomposes within the tube. The tube is broken in an atmosphere of CO and the contents analysed for percent N by the standard Dumas technique. Using a similar technique for prepare ing the sample for analysis, percent Cl is determined by the Grote method. The crystals are found to contain Example 10' 70parts of silver hyponitrite and 100 parts of S-phenoxyethyl chloroformate are reactedat- --40 C, according to the procedure of Example 8. I

licts include 42% N 40%) (2% and 3% N 0. The hyp i set les. out as white crystals when. ool below 530 C.- l

Example 11;

140. parts; of silver hyponitrite are stirred in 5.60 parts. of acetone. at 75. C., and 42-5 par s of acetone (H61 (O-. 058 g./n1l.)) are added; and: stirred until the solid is decolourised. 210 parts of 3:5:5. nimethvlhexylchloroforrnate in 500 parts or acetone and 80 parts of Pyri in are. added and. sti ring is. con inued, for 3 hour at. '15.. C. The. mixture is, filt red at. re ction t mp rature and, washedwith 1,500 par s of. cooled acetone.

The yield. is. 78%. $32 5 trimethylhexoxyfq my hyponitrite... The solution decomp es at a mea ura le r e. o 5 C.- Gase evolved inc u e (1% (45% N 0 (5.5%) and N (48% Example 1.2

. 23 parts of lSOr-PYOPYI chloroformate are added slowly to, 27.6, parts of silver hyponitrite suspended in 200, parts of acetone. at -60 C. The mixture is stirred at 40 O. for three hours and although the reaction is incomplete the suspension is filtered bythe method used in Exampie 1. The yieldof iso-propoxyformyl hyponitrite isw33% and this decomposes between 20-- and; +30 C.

Example 13 19 parts of ethyl chloroformate are added slowly to 27:.6 parts of silver hypo-nitrite suspended in 2tl0iparts of acetone at -60 C. 16 parts of pyridine are added and then a further imparts of'acetone to dilute the suspen- 'siorr. The mixture is then stirred at 50 C. for 2 hours and the suspension is filtered by the method: used in Example .1. The yield of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite is 55% and all of this decomposes: between -.-.3.0. and +40 C.

Examples 14-21 Example 13. isrepeated but with the differences indi- 18 parts of ethyl chloroformate are added slowly to 27.6 parts of silver hyponitrite. suspended in 200 parts of, acetone at -.-60.-. C... 'Ewopartsofipyridineare added and then. a..further- 100 parts of acetone to. dilute the suspension. The mixture is then stirred; at. 50 Qtor 2. hours. and: thesnspension is filtered by the method used in Example 1. The yield of ethoxy onmyl hyponitrite is 163% and the product decomposes between. 403' and +30" 0.

Examplesr2i, 2.4.- and 25 Example 22 is. repeated but. with the, differences. indicated below: a

Example, Ghloroformate .Rarts ."Iiemp Time, Yield,

" I 1 0. hrs. percent n-butyl 24' i 40- 1 s2 iso-pr0pyl 23 40 3 54 cycle-beryl"... 3.0 30 5.75 16 Example-26 1.411 9 pa or are; hy'nonitrite. are. uspe H1500 parts of diethyl oxalate and 50 parts ofn hexane. lpart 75 polymer of density 0.973.

1.38 parts of silver hyponitrite in 710 parts of diethylether are stirred with 450 parts of ether containing '12 parts HQl/part for-1 hour at 60- C. The solution is filtered. and the filtrate. is. added to a solution of 94 of methyl; chloroformate and 39 parts of pyridine in 355 parts of diethyl'ether and the whole is stirred at 60 C. for 1 /2 hours. The yield of methoxyforrnyl hyponitrite is 20%.

Example 28.

24 parts of i'so-propyl' chloroform-ate are added slowly to 27.6 parts of silver hyponitrite suspended in 2100. parts of acetoneat 60. C.. 23.61 parts. of pyridine hypochloride are added and the whole mixture is then stirred at -40. C. for 2 hours. The suspension is filtered by the. method used in Example 1 and the yield of isopropoxyformyl hyponitrite is 43%. About 95% of the gaseous decomposition products are evolved between 20 and +30" C. i

Exampler2 9.

24 parts of i'sopr opyl chloroformateare added slowly to 27.6 'parts of silver hyponitrite suspended in 200- parts of dimethylformamide at -60 The mixture isstirred at 20 C; for; 4 hours and then the suspension is filteredLbythe method used in Example 1 to givea moderate yield ofiiso-propoxyformyl hyponitrite which de composes between 20 and,+3l). C.

Example 30 54 parts of ethyl' chloroformate and 70 parts. of silver hypom'trite are mixed for 2 hours at 6 0. C. in 1,000 parts of acetone in the presence ofa traceof pyridine hydrochloride; The mixture is. filtered. and the. residue washed with 1,500- parts cooled acetone. and the two solutions bulked. 1 00' parts of'this: sohition, which contains 1.4 parts of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite, are charged to an evacuated high pressure autoclave cooled to 50" C. Liquid ethylene: at 68 C. and 1,000atmospheres pres sureis then injected into the. autoclave. The internal temperature momentarily; rises to 6" C. but in '8. minutes settles. to 55 C. at a. pressure of 1.1000 atmospheres.

The stirrerof'the autoclave is started and the system is gradually. warmed to-10;- C. during 50 minutes, the pressure rising to 1,185 atmospheres. In 3 hours after reaching 10" C. the pressure has fallen to 1090 atmospheres. The. pressure is, released and the vessel is allowed to. warm to. room temperature and is then opened. It: is found to contain. a white solid polymer which is purified by: solution inxylene. precipitation in methanol, filtration. and; drying in vacuo. 200. parts of white solid ethylene polymer of. density 0.950 and grade number 0.011 are recovered.

Example 31 500- parts ofacetone containing 30 parts of 31515 trimethylhexoxyformyl hyponitrite' are used in thepolymerisation of ethylene at 10 C. and 1,000 atmospheres pressure according-to the procedure of Example-30:

The product isa solid which when purified as described in Example 30- yields 350 parts ofawhite. solid ethylene Example 32 800 parts of acetone containing 6 parts of iso-propoxyformyl hyponitrite are used in the polymerisation of ethylene at C. and 1,000 atmospheres according to the procedure of Example 30.

The product is a solid which when purified as described in Example 30 yields 250 parts of white solid ethylene polymer.

Example 33 50 parts of acetone containing 3.6 parts of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite are used in the polymerisation of ethylene according to the procedure of Example 30 at 10. C. and 1,000 atmospheres pressure in the presence of atmospheres hydrogen.

The product is a white solid which when purified as described in Example 30 yields 220 parts of white solid ethylene polymer of density 0.943 and grade number 0.034.

Example 34 50 parts of acetone co'ntaining 1.8 parts of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite are used in the polymerisation of ethylene according to the procedure of Example 30 at C. and 1,000 atmospheres pressure, in the presence of 25 parts of 5% solution of carbon tetrachloride in benzene.

The product is a white solid which when purified as described in Example 30 yields 30 parts of white solid ethylene polymer, density 0.952 and grade number 0.024.

Example 35 300 parts of acetone containing 8 parts of cyclohexoxyf ormyl hyponitrite are used in the polymerisation of ethylene at 1,000 atmospheres and 0 C. according to the procedure of Example 30.

The product is a white solid which when purified as in Example 30 yields 280 parts of white solid ethylene polymer of density 0.950 and gradenumber 0.56.

Example 36 200 parts of acetone containing 1.9 parts of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite are used in the. polymerisation of ethylene at 2,000 atmospheres, and C. according to the procedure of Example 30.

The product is a white solid which when purified as in Example 30 gives 70 parts of white solid ethylene polymer of density 0.943 and grade number 0.0013.

' Example 37 100 parts of acetone containing 1.7 parts of ethoxyformyl hyponitrite are used in the polymerisation of ethylene according to Example 30 at 10 and 1,000 atmospheres pressure, with the addition of 10 atmospheres propylene. I

The product is a solid which when purified as in Example 30 yields 30 parts of white polymer.

Example 38 V 5 parts of the iso-propoxyformyl hyponitrite solution obtained by the process of Example 6 are added to 90 parts of acrylonitrile at -10 C. and oxygen is removed from the system by the evacuation of the gas space at this temperature. On warming the mixture to 0 C. the acrylonitrile polymerises and 95% is precipitated as asolidin%hour. H

Example 39 Example 40 f 'r 10 parts of the iso-butoxyformyl hyponitrite solution obtained by the process of Example 16 are added to 90 parts of acrylonitrile at 50 C. and oxygen is removed from the system by evacuation of the gas space at this temperature.- On warming the mixture to 22 C. the acrylonitrile polymerises and 20% is precipitated as a solid in an hour. 7

' Example 41 V 10 parts of the tetrahydrofurfuroxyformyl hyponitrite solution obtained by the process of Example 19 are added to'90 parts of acrylonitrile at -60 C. and oxygen is removed from the system by evacuation of the gas space at this temperature. On warming the mixture to.23 C. the acrylonitrile polymerises and 20% is precipitated as v a solid in 60 hours or less.

v v Example 42 5 parts of the ethoxyformyl hyponitrite solution obtained by the process of Example 22 are added to 90 parts of acrylonitrile at C. and oxygen is removed from the system by evacuation of the gas space at this temperature. On warming the mixture to 22 C. the

acrylonitrile polymerises and about 95 is precipitated as a solid in half an hour.

Example 43 Example 44 8 parts of the ethoxyformyl hyponitrite solution obtained by the process of Example 4 are added to parts of vinyl acetate at 0 C. and oxygen is removed from the system by the evacuation, of the gas space at this tem perature. On'warming the mixture to 24 C. the vinyl acetate polymerises to give a thick viscous liquid in 16 hours or less. H 7

Example 45 5 parts of the iso-propoxyformy1 hyponitrite solution obtainedby the process of Example 6 are added to 90 .parts of vinyl acetate at -l0 C. and oxygen is removed from the systemby evacuation of the gas space at this temperature. On warming the mixture to 0 C. the vinyl acetate polymerises to give a thick viscous liquid in hour.

Example 46 10 parts of the iso-amyloxyformyl hyponitrite solution obtained by the process of Example 17 are added to 90 parts of vinyl acetate at '50 C. and oxygen is'removed from the system by evacuation of the gas space at this temperature. the vinyl acetate polymerises to give a thick viscous liquid in /2 hour.

Example 47 The process of Example 47 is'repeated using 90 parts oimethyl methacrylate in place of the vinyl acetate. A good yield ofisolid polymer is isolated after 1 hours.

On Warming the mixture to 22 C.

9 Example 49 2 parts of the iso-propoxyformyl solution obtained by the process of Example 28 are added to 90 parts of acrylonitrile at --40 C. and oxygen is removed from the system by evacuation of the gas space at this temperature. On warming to room temperature the acrylonitrile polymerises and about 95% is precipitated as a solid in 15 minutes. i

I claim:

1. A process for the production of mixed anhydrides which comprises reacting at a temperature not exceeding C., silver hyponitrite, and a chloroformic ester of the formula Cl.C0.0R wherein R is selected from the class consisting of alkyl, allyl, monocyclic aryl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy-alkyl, aryloxy alkyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, halophenyl, carbalkoxy-alkyl and haloalkyl groups.

2. A process according to claim 1 in which the reaction takes place at a temperature of 80 C. to -40 C.

3. A process according to claim 1 in which the mixed anhydride is separated by crystallization below 20 C.

4. A process according to claim 1 in which the solvent is evaporated below 20 C.

5. A process according to claim 1 in which the reaction is conducted in a solvent for the chloroformic ester and the mixed anhydride produced by the reaction.

6. A process according to claim 5 in which the reaction medium contains a compound selected from the group consisting of pyridine and pyridine hydrochloride.

7. A process according to claim 6 in which the reaction medium contains 101,000 p.p.m., of said compound.

8. A process for the production of polymers which comprises subjecting a compound selected from the class consisting of ethylene, vinyl acetate, methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile to polymerization conditions in the presence of a catalytic amount of a mixed anhydride at a wherein R and R are selected from the class consisting of alkyl, allyl, monocyclic aryl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy-alkyl, aryloxy alkyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, halophenyl, carbalkoxyalkyl and haloalkyl groups.

9. A process as claimed in claim 8 wherein the compound is ethylene, same being contacted at a temperature between C. and 180 C. and a pressure above atmospheres with a catalytic amount of a solution of a mixed anhydride as defined in claim 8.

10. A process as claimed in claim 9 operated at a pressure between 1,000 to 3,000 atmospheres.

11. A process as claimed in claim 9 operated at a pressure such that the gas density exceeds 0.21 gm./cc. at the temperature of operation.

12. A process as claimed in claim 9 which is carried out in the presence of a chain-transfer :agent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and carbon tetrachloride.

13. Mixed anhydride having the general formula wherein R and R are selected from the group consisting of alkyl, allyl, monocyclic aryl, cycloalkyl, alkoxy-alkyl, aryloxy alkyl, tetrahydrofurfuryl, halophenyl, carbalkoxyalkyl, haloalkyl.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

8. A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF POLYMERS WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING A COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF ETHYLENE, VINYL ACETATE, METHYL METHACRYLATE AND ACRYLONITRILE TO POLYMERIZATION CONDITIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF A MIXED ANHYDRIDE AT A TEMPERATURE NOT LOWER THAN -40*C., SAID ANHYDRIDE HAVING THE FORMULA:
 9. A PROCESS AS CLAIMED IN CLAIM 8 WHEREIN THE COMPOUND IS ETHYLENE, SAME BEING CONTACTED AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN -40*C. AND 180*C. AND A PRESSURE ABOVE 100 ATMOSPHERES WITH A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF A SOLUTION OF A MIXED ANHYDRIDE AS DEFINED IN CLAIM
 8. 